


Before There Were Tears

by KeybladeDetweiler



Series: 200 Theme Challenge [2]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Canon - Book & Movie Combination, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-31
Updated: 2016-07-31
Packaged: 2018-07-28 09:52:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7635682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeybladeDetweiler/pseuds/KeybladeDetweiler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Glimpses of some moments between Boromir and Frodo, before and after the fall of Gandalf in Moria.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before There Were Tears

**Author's Note:**

> For theme #17 of the challenge, Tears.

Before there were tears, there were screams.

 _Gandalf!_ Reverberating loudly off of Moria’s cold, stony walls. _Gandalf!_ Echoing, over and over, the pain in them becoming more and more intense by the second.

The instant he heard the screams, Boromir’s first instinct was to wrap his arm around the hobbit. To keep him from scrambling over to the wizard. Not because he did not want Gandalf to be saved; it was because he knew that he had to keep Frodo safe. That was what was most important at the moment. That was why he was there, after all.

Boromir held tightly as Frodo struggled to get free. He could tell, by the look in the hobbit’s eyes, how desperately he wished to be by Gandalf’s side right then. How he wanted to be able to rescue him. But…Boromir could also see that, despite all the hope that small hobbit may have had, he still knew what was going to happen. He knew that there would be nothing he could do.

And yet, he still wanted to try.

Boromir wanted, for just a brief moment, to let him go. But his conscience got the better of him, and he continued to hold on, his eyes now moving to what was left of the bridge and to the old man hanging from it.

_Fly, you fools!_

He let go.

 _Nooooooooo!_ Boromir winced a little; the pain in Frodo’s voice was absolutely heartbreaking. He felt Frodo push against him again, in one final attempt to get free. Boromir held him closer. After finding his attempt fruitless, the hobbit fell back a little; he would not fight anymore. He couldn’t. He knew there was no point in trying.

Boromir started to climb up the stairs, towards the exit, only stopping for a moment to urge Aragorn forward when it seemed that he would stay behind. Frodo called out for Gandalf a few more times, his voice still rich with pain and despair.

As he turned up the next small flight of stairs, Boromir began to feel small splashes upon his already tear-soaked cheek. He glanced at Frodo for a moment, and found that the hobbit’s screams had now turned to sobs. Tears streamed down the hobbit’s gentle face as he looked back towards the broken bridge, hoping for a single, solitary sign that Gandalf may have still lived.

They were nearly to the exit now, and Boromir noticed that Frodo had nestled his head on top of the furs on his shoulder. He could hear his muffled sobbing, and felt his tears seep into the soft fur. He held Frodo tighter now, hoping that that might comfort him, even just a little.

Daylight now shone straight ahead of them. Boromir could no longer hear Frodo’s sobs, and decided that he should put him down, but not without giving him a small hug beforehand.

As he placed him back onto the ground, Boromir heard Frodo whisper, _Thank you._

He watched silently as Frodo ran out into the daylight to join the rest of their company, before following after him a moment later.


End file.
